Vandals flood Pearson Park

Pearson Park was flooded over Thursday night when someone allegedly tampered with the onsite well system, according to Jim Ponek, Ridgecrest's parks and recreation director.

By Jack Barnwelljbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

Pearson Park was flooded over Thursday night when someone allegedly tampered with the onsite well system, according to Jim Ponek, Ridgecrest's parks and recreation director.“Someone got into the park's cages, accessed our well and flooded a part of the park,” Ponek said Friday.Ponek said, however, his maintenance crew was handling the situation and appeared that it would not be a major impact on the park.“It flooded an area that already was grass and that might cause some issues, but we've had worse,” Ponek said.He indicated it was more than likely vandalism. The city's parks are routine targets of vandalism ranging from graffiti to more serious offenses. The Kerr McGee Center daycare playground next to city hall was vandalized in January, and the side of the building covered with vulgar phallic drawings.“If the flooding had occurred in the area we were seeding, that would have caused more serious issues,” Ponek said.